Clipping machine



Jan. 16, 1934; 1:1. T. OWEN 1,943,546

' CLIPPING MACHINE Filed Aug. 15, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. mv/o 7. OWEN A TTORNEY &

Jan. 16, 1934. D. TQOWEN 1,943,546

CLIPPING MACHINE Jan. .16, 1934 T, N 1,943,546

CLIPPING MACHINE Filed Aug. 15, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 0 INVENTOR.

DA W0 7.' UWf/V B v mamma Jan. 16, 1934. T OWEN 1,943,546

CLIPPING MACHINE Filed Aug. 15, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 .40 I 7 I INVENTOR'. DAV/0 7. 0mm

Patented Jan. 16, 1934 PATENT I OFFICE 1,943,546 omrrme MACHINE David T. Owen, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The Owen Automatic Spring Machinery Company,

a corporation of Ohio Application August 15, 1931. Serial No. 557,298

33 Claims. (Cl. 140-11) The present invention relates to clipping maping wire members together.

A specific object of the invention is to provide 5 means for clipping coil springs together to form the inner structures of mattresses, cushions and the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means for clipping two springs to an intermediate wire, such as a tie wire.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for rigidly fixing a clip to the tie wire'and the spring at one side thereof, leaving a hinged connection between the tie wire and the spring on the other side thereof.

. Another object of the invention is to provide novel means for automatically folding a clip I 0 as to form a rigid connection of that part to the clip.

' Another object of the invention is to provide automatic means for positioning the pair of springs that are to be clipped together and then,

5 after they have been clipped together, feeding them and the tie wire through a predetermined distance, so that successive pairs of springs will be uniformly spaced along the tie wire.

Another object of the invention is to provide 0 means for adjusting the spacing of springs along the tie wire to which they are clipped.

Other objects of the invention will appear in the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and thereafter the novelty i5 and scope of the invention will be pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings; I

Figure 11s a front elevation of the improved clipping machine, certain parts being removed L0 and otherparts shown in section;

Fig. la is a plan view of a portion of the inner spring structure of a mattress assembledon my improved machine;

Fig. 2 is a view in section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1 and illustrating certain clutch mechanism used on the machine;

Fig. 3 is a view in section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation viewed in the direction of the arrows 4-4 of Fig. 1 and illustrating particularly the means for feeding a metal ribbon from which the clips are formed;

Fig. 5 is a detail view of a ratchet drive for Fig. 6 is a view in section taken substantially on the line 66 of Fig. 1;

Fig. '7 is a fragmental view in section taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a view in section taken on the line 0 88 of Fig. 3 and showing a pair of springs about to be clipped to a tie wire;

Figs. 9 and 10 are fragmental sectional views of a portion of a structure shown in Fig. 8, but with certain parts in successively different posi- 5 tions illustrating different stages inthe formation of the clip; 4

Fig. 11 is a view in section taken on the line. 1111 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a fragmental plan view of the machine with certain parts broken away.

Fig. 13 is a view in section taken on the line 13-13 of Fig. 12 with the coil springs and tie wire removed and showing a clip blank before it has been bent;

Fig. 14 is a fragmental plan view of an anvil partly broken away to show certain gathering dies and an indenting punch; and

Fig. 15 is a view showing in cross-section and also in plan, successive stages in the formation of a clip about a pair of springs and an intermediate tie wire.

Before proceeding to a detailed specification of the embodiment illustrated in the drawings the following general description of the machine and its operation may be found helpful: A continuous tie wire is laid across a table forming the upper part of the machine and a pair of springs are placed at each side of the tie wire. An anvil overhangs the point where the springs are to be attached to the tie wire; A ribbon of metal -is fed into the machine from one side under the anvil and the wires,'and blanks cut from this ribbon are folded about the wires clipping them together. The machine operates automatically through a cycle of operations which may be initiated by the depression of a pedal. At the start of the cycle a clip blank is cut ofi the ribbon and is raised up against the wires that are to be clipped together. The initial position of the clip blank and wires is shown in plan and cross-section at A and a, respectively in Fig. 15. A die then rises and bends the clip blank into U form with an upstanding flange at each side of the wires, as shown at B and b. The next operation consists in folding over one of these upstanding. arms (as illustrated at c) and then the other (as shown at D and d) so as to completely enclose said wires. Thereafter a punch rises and indents a part of the clip, as well as the tie wire and no one ofthe spring wires (see E and c, Fig. 15). The clipped springs are then advanced to make room for the next pairof springs which are to be clipped to the tie wire. The tie wire with springs clipped thereto may be cut ofi in suitable lengths, and then the strings of clipped springs may be clipped together with intervening. tie wires, as shown in Fig. 1a, to form a spring filler unit for a mattress, cushion or the like.

With this general picture of the machine in mind, we may now proceed to a more detailed description.

The frame of the machine comprises a base plate 20 supported on a pedestal 21, and rising from the base plate 20 are two side walls 22 and a rear wall 23. On these walls is supported a table top 24 which may be provided with extension leaves 25 to extend the table as far as may be necessary for the support of the work; A bracket 26 is mounted on the table 24 and is formed with an anvil 2'7 overlying the point where the clips are to be applied. 4 A slot 24a is formed in the table under the anvil and extending laterally at each side thereof through which certain clip forming dies and spring centering guides may project, as will be explained hereinafter.

Positioned under the anvil and below the table top is a carriage 28 which is mounted to slide vertically between the frame walls 22. The carriage is retained between a pair of vertical ribs 29 on said frame walls and a front plate 30 (see Fig. 6), and is raised and lowered by means of a pair of cams 31 (Fig. l) which are fixed upon a shaft 32. These cams are formed with cam grooves 33 in their outer faces which are engaged by rollers 34 mounted on depending legs of the carriage 28. Movable vertically in a recess formed in the carriage 28 is a U shaped slide 35 (seealso Fig. '7). This slide is raised and lowered inde pendently of the carriage 28 by the earns 31, the latter being formed on either inner faces with cam grooves 36 engaged by rollers 3'7 carried by the slide 35. Projecting vertically from the slide 35 and through a suitable opening in the carriage 28 is a rectangular stem 38. This stem which is secured at any desired adjustment with respect to the slide 35 by means of a set screw 39, is formed with a longitudinal bore, and slidable therein is a punch bar 40. The latter is secured by means of a set screw 41 to a slide block 42 which is adapted to slide between the legs of the U shaped slide 35. A roller 43 carried by the block 42 engages a profile cam 44 secured to the shaft 32. The shaft 32 constitutes the main cam shaft of the machine but there is also a second cam shaft 45 to the rear of the shaft 32. These two shafts 32 and 45 are connected to run at the same speed and in the same direction by means of a train of gears 46 (see Figs. 4 and 6).

Mounted to slide laterally in ways formed in the top of the carriage 28 are two folding dies 50 and 51 respectively. Thesedies are retained in their ways by plates 52 and 53 (see Fig. 6). In order to slide these dies without interfering with the vertical movement of the carriage 28, the following mechanism is provided. A cam plate 55 is mounted to slide transversely under each folding die. The cam plates are each formed with a cam groove 56, as shown in Fig. 12, and rollers 5'7 (Fig. 8) carried by the dies engage the cam grooves 56. By sliding the plates 55 rearward (as shown in Fig 6) the dies will be moved inward or toward one another. Such movement of the slides 55 is effected by means of a pair of levers 58 which engage slots in the slide plates 55 respectively. These levers are substantially vertically disposed as shown in Fig. 3, and are fulcrumed at their lower ends. Each lever carries a roller 60 and these rollers run between the cams 31 and earns 61 keyed to the shaft 45. The cam 31 at the left, as viewed in Fig. 1, is formed with a peripheral swell 31a and the other cam 31 with a swell 31b. These swells force the levers 58 rearward, the cams 61 being formed with corresponding peripheral depressions to provide clearance for the rollers 60. It will be noticed however that the swell 31a is advanced with respect to swell 311) so that the die 50 will be operated before the die 51. The swell 315 however is longer than swell 310. so that the die 51 will be held in advanced position for a longer time. It will be understood that the dies are returned to normal position by the cams 61.

The metal ribbon from which the clip blanks are cut is indicated at 63 in Figs. 1 and 8. This ribbon passes from a suitable source of supply between a pair of feed rollers 64 and 65, thence through a guide 66 and through a slot 67 formed in the folding die 50. The mechanism for feeding the ribbon is best shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 5. Fulcrumed upon a bracket 68 secured to the main frame is a lever 69 which bears a roller '70. The latter engages a groove '71 (Fig. 6) in a drum cam '72, said cam being fixed upon the rear cam shaft 45. The upper end-of the lever 69 engages a slot '73 formed in a sector plate '74 pivoted upon a shaft 75. The latter is journaled in suitable bearings in a bracket '76 attached to the adjacent side wall 22. The sector plate '74 carries a spring pressed pawl '77 which engages a ratchet wheel '78 fixed upon the shaft '75. Thus, at each rotation of the cam '72 the lever 69 is oscillated back and forth and causes the shaft '75 to turn through a predetermined angle. Fixed upon the shaft '75 is a gear wheel 86 which engages a pinion 81 on a shaft 82. The feed roller 64 is fixed to this shaft so that there is a positive rotation of the roller 64 caused by the cam '72. The roller 65, however, is not positively driven but turns freely on the shaft '75.

In order to adjust the pressure of roller 64 upon the metal ribbon 63 the shaft 82 is mounted in a swinging bracket 83, the latter being fulcruined on the bracket '76. An extension 84 below the fulcrum bears a set screw 85 which is adjustable against a stop 86 depending from the bracket '76. Thus by adjustment of the screw 85 any desired pressure of roller 64 on the ribbon 63 may be obtained. A guide member 87 carried by the bracket 83 insures proper registry of the ribbon 63 with respect to the rollers 64 and 65. To prevent over-running of the shaft '75 a friction brake is provided such as shown at 88 in Figs. 4 and 5.

Referring now to Fig. 8 it will be observed that the stem 38 of the U shaped slide 35 is arranged to fit closely between the ends of the dies 50 and 51 when the latter are in normal retracted position. The ribbon 63 is fed over the stem 38 and when the latter rises with respect to the dies 50 and 51 a blank 90 is cut off the end of the ribbon 63. This blank is then folded about the spring parts to clip them together as will be explained presently.

Pivote'd on a pin 91 in the slot 24a is bridge member 92 which is of U-shape (see also Fig. 12). The legs of the bridge straddle the folding dies 50 and 51 and are pressed upward against the anvil 2'7 by a spring 93. This bridge is adapted to hold the spring parts and tie wire that are to be clipped together, against the anvil. To assist in introducing said parts under the anvil, the bridge legs are formed with ramps 94 at each side.

As shown in Figs. 8 and 12 the tie wire 95 runs from rear to front of the machine, being drawn through a slot 26a (Fig. 13) under bracket 26 from a suitable source of supply, and a pair of springs 96 and 97 that are to be clipped to the wire, are placed at opposite sides of the tie wire with the lowermost coil of each spring inserted between the bridge and the anvil. To inthe carriage 28 is raised, as. will be explained presently.

At the upper end of the stem 38 there are four ears 101, which have their inner faces outwardly flared so as to form gathering dies. These ears are spaced apart suificiently for the ribbon 63 to be fed between them. Also as shown in the plan view Fig. 12 the folding dies are narrowed at their adjacent ends to permit them to pass between said ears when folding the clip.

Assuming now that the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 8 a blank has just been cut off the strip 63 by the rise of the stem 38 with respect to the dies 50 and 51. It will be observed that the anvil 27 is formed with a transverse slot 102, opening downwardly and that the front and rear walls of this slot are each formed with a vertical rib 103. The upper end of the stem 38 is formed with a slot 104 extending from front to rear between the ears 101, so as to clear said ribs. As the stem rises the ears or gathering dies 101 will force the spring parts 96 and 9'7 and the intermediate tie wire together under the ends of ribs 103, as indicated in Fig. 9, and as these ribs enter the slot 104 the clip blank 90 will be bent into U-form. In the meantime the carriage 28 will have risen until the gathering dies 50 and 51 bear against the top of the anvil slot 102. The cam swell 31a will thenopera-te to advance the folding'die 50, thereby folding the leftleg of the clip to the position shown at c in Fig. '15. Thereafter cam swell 31b will cause the other die 51 to fold the right leg of the blank over the left leg, as shown at d and D in Fig. 15. With the -parts in this position the next operation consists in indenting the clip so that it will be firmly aflixed to the tie wire 95 and the spring 97. To this end the cam 44 operates to raise the punch 40. It will be observed in Figs. 8 to 10 that this punch is formed with a chisel point, diametrically disposed with respect to the springs, but at one side this chisel point is notched out, as shown at 105. As stated above, the cam swell 31b is longer than cam swell 31a permitting the die 51 to dwell in advanced position while the punch 40 rises. The underface of the die 51 is formed with a recess 51a directly overlying the chisel point of the punch. When the punch rises, the chisel point forces part of the clip into the recess 51a, as indicated in Figs. 10 and 11. The tie wire 95 and spring 97 are indented together with that portion of the clip surrounding them, however, the spring 96 and that portion of the clip surrounding the same are not dented because of the notch 105. This completes the forming of the clip as shown in plan and cross-section at E and e respectively in Fig. 15.

'An ejector 107 now comes into play to feed the clipped members forward a predetermined distance. The ejector consists of a slide bar which is adapted to engage the joint between the tie wire 95 and spring 96. The ejector 107 is carried by a slide plate 108 (see Fig. 3), and the latter in turn has pin-and-slot connection with a lever 109. This lever is fulcrumed to a bracket 110 and bears a roller 111 which engages a cam groove 112 formed in a cam 113 keyed upon the shaft 45. In order to adjust the feed of the clipped members the bracket 110 is formed with a number of pivot holes 114 and the lever 109 has a corresponding number of pivot holes so that by inserting a fulcrum pin 115 in a selected one of the holes 114 and a corresponding holein lever 109, the throw of the lever and consequently the length of feed of the ejector 107 may be adjusted atwill. As the ejector advances it rides up a lug 94a (see Figs. 11 and 12) formed on one leg of the bridge depressing the latter.

Projecting from the anvil 27 is an arm 116 which bears a spring-pressed finger 117. The latter is adapted to press upon the clip of the previously clipped pair of springs while a new pair of springs is being clipped together.

The machine is arranged to perform a cycle of operations automatically and then come to a stop. As shown in Fig. 1, the machine is driven by a motor 120 mounted in the pedestal 121. This motor through suitable reduction gearing drives a pulley 122 and the latter is belted to a pulley 123 journalled upon the shaft 32. A clutch, indicated generally by the reference numeral 124, s'ervesto connect this shaft 32 to the pulley 123. This clutch may be of the type shown in Fig. 2, being engaged by the depression of a pedal and then being automatically disengaged as soon as the shaft 32 has made one complete turn. The pedal 125 (Fig. 1) is normally held in raised position by spring 126. A vertical bar 127 connected to the pedal, is drawn downward when the pedal is depressed. The upper end of the bar 127 is normally hooked over a lug 128 carried by one arm 129 of a latch lever fulcrumed upon a stud 130. The other arm 131- of the latch lever carries 2. lug 132 which engages a shoulder 133 formed on a clutch disk 134. Projecting from the face of the clutch disk is an annular series of lugs 135 constituting a cage for a plurality of rollers 136. The rollers ride between a cam plate 137keyed to the shaft 32 and a friction collar 138 fixed to the pulley 123. The cam disk 137 is formed with a series of outwardly inclined walls such that when the rollers 136 are located at the bottom of the inclines they will not engage the collar 138 but when they are pressed outward by the inclined walls they will wedge between the collar 138 and the cam disk. Hence, relative rotary movement of the clutch disk 134 with respect to the cam disk 137 will cause the engage ment or disengagement of the clutch, as the case may be. Fig. 2 shows the rollers at the bottom or inner ends of the inclines which position they occupy when the shoulder 133 is engaged by the lug 132. When, however, the pedal is depressed and the lug 132 is pulled out of engagement with the shoulder 133 the disk 134 is pulled forward by a spring 139. This causes the rollers to move outward wedging against the collar 138 and causingrotation of the shaft 32. i I

Since'the operator might hold his foot on the pedal longer than the time necessary for the machine to complete its cycle of operations,

means are provided for throwing the pedal bar 150 127 out of engagement with the lug 128 immediately after the shaft 32 has started to rotate, so as to insure stopping of the machine upon completion of the cycle of operations regardless of the position of the pedal. To this end, an angle lever 140 is provided, one arm of which projects into the path of the shoulder 133 while the other arm has an adjustable set screw 141 which normally bears against the bar 127. A spring 142 holds the lever 140 in normal position against a stop 143. Just after the shaft 132 starts to rotate the shoulder or boss 133 strikes the lever 140, momentarily depressing the same against the action of spring 142, and the screw 141 forces the bar 127 toward the right, as viewed in Fig. 2, until it clears the lug 128. As soon as this lug is cleared a spring 144 connected to the arm 129, raises the latter so that the lug 128 clears the bolt 127. This moves the lug 132 into the path of the shoulder 133 so that as soon as the shaft 32 makes one complete rotation the shoulder 133 will strike the lug 132, arresting the plate 134 and thereby disengaging the clutch. When the clutch pedal is released the pedal bar 127 rises and snaps over the lug 128.

In order to insure a quick stop of the shaft 32 and prevent undue overriding, a brake disk 145 is provided on said shaft. This is engaged by a split annular brake shoe 146 which is pivotally mounted at 147 on the adjacent wall 22. The split ends of the brake shoe are pressed together by spring 148, the tension of which may be adjusted by means of a bolt 149.

Each string of springs, after being clipped at the bottom to one tie wire, is then inverted and passed through the machine again to clip the top coils of the springs to another wire. Strings of springs thus'clipped at top and bottom may then be clipped together with intervening tie wires to form a spring filler unit, such as shown fragmentally in Fig. 1

It will be observed that the springs are of the.

open end type, that is each spring terminates at each end in a free flexing extremity 150 (Fig. 12). In the spring filler unit the extremities 150 of all the rows of springs except the row at the extreme left are fixed to tie wires by indenting. The

springs of the latter row are reversed so that their clips, were it not for an upward bend which g is given to the extremity 150 of each reversed spring. This bend is formed by a post 151 (Fig. 12) located adjacent the guide 99. The post is fixed t0 the plate 53 and rises and falls with the carriage 28. Normally the post passes between tie wire 95 and spring 96 at the left hand side thereof. However, when a spring to the left of the tie wire is reversed so that its free end is on the inside it will overlie the post 151 and be bent upward by said post when the carriage 28 rises. It will be observed from an inspection of Fig. 12 that the spring wires are flattened against the tie wire by the gathering dies 101 and coaction of ribs 103 with slot 104, nence the projecting extremity 150 departs from normal curvature. For this reason the free extremities of reversed springs will engage the post 151, while the bodies of springs that are not reversed will clear said post. By flattening of the spring wires, 1 mean not a distortion of the cross-section of the wire, but a straightening of a portion of the spring coil. Such a straightened part provides a good hinge connection in the part of the clip that is not indented.

While I have described a; preferred embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that this is to be taken as illustrative and not limitative, and that I reserve the right to make such changes in form, construction and arrangements of parts as may fall within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the character described,

means for holding three wires in juxtaposition,

dies adapted to fold a metal clip about the juxtaposed wires, means for operating the dies, and means for interlocking the clip and at least one of the wires.

2. In a machine of the character described, means for holding three wires in juxtaposition, dies adapted to fold a metal clip about the juxtaposed wires, means for operating the dies, andmeans for interlocking the clip and two adjacent wires enfolded therein.

3. In a machine of the character described, means for holding three wires in juxtaposition, dies adapted to fold a metal clip about the juxtaposed wires, a punch, and means for operating the punch to indent the clip and at least one of the wires enfolded therein.

4. In a machine of the character described, means for holding three wires in juxtaposition, dies adapted to fold a metal clip about the juxtaposed wires, a punch, and means for operating the punch to indent the clip and only two of the wires enfolded therein.

5. In a machine of the character described, means for holding three wires in juxtaposition, dies adapted to fold a metal clip about the juxtaposed wires, a punch, and means for operating the punch to indent the clip with the central wire and only one of the other wires.

6. In a machine for clipping springs to a tie wire, a support for a pair of coil springs on oppo site sides respectively of the wire, gathering dies for forcing a juxtaposed portion of each spring into engagement with the tie wire, means for folding a metal clip about the tie wire and the spring portions in engagement therewith, and means for transversely bending the clip and the tie wire to fix the clip to said wire.

7. In a machine for clipping springs to a tie wire, a support for a pair of coil springs on opposite sides respectively of the wire, gathering'dies for forcing a juxtaposed portion of each spring into engagement with the tie wire, means for folding a metal clip about the t e wire and the spring portions in engagement therewith, and means for bending the clip with the tie wire and one only of said spring portions to lock the same together.

8. In a machine for clipping coil springs to a tie wire, means for supporting a pair of coil springs on opposite sides respectively of the wire, gathering dies adapted to straighten juxtaposed portions of the springs against the intermediate tie wire, and means for folding a metal clip about the tie wire and said spring portions.

I 9. In a machine for clipping coil springs to a tie wire, means for supporting a pair of coil springs on opposite sides respectively of the wire, gathering dies adapted to straighten juxtaposed portions of the springs against the intermediate tie wire, and means for indenting the clip together with the tie wire and one only of the spring portions enfolded therein.

10. In a machine of the character described, a guide for a tie wire, a support for the respective end coils of a pair of coil springs on opposite sides of said tie wire, means for feeding a metal ribbon across the tie wire and the juxtaposed portions of said end coils, means for cutting a clip from the ribbon, and means for folding said clip about the tie wire and said juxtaposed coil portions.

11. In a machine of the character described, a guide for a tie wire, a support for the respective end coils of a pair of coil springs on opposite sides of said tie wire, means for feeding a metal ribbon under the tie wire and the juxtaposed portions of said end coils, means for cutting a clip from the ribbon, and means for folding said clip about the tie wire and said juxtaposed coil portions.

12. In a machine of the character described, a

guide for a tie wire, a support for the respective end coils of a pair of coil springs on opposite sides of said tie wire, means for feeding a metal ribbon under the tie wire and juxtaposed wire portions of said end coils, means for cutting a clip from the ribbon, means for folding said clip about the tie wire and said juxtaposed wire portions, and means for indenting the clip and at least one of the wires enfolded therein.

13. In a machine of the character described, a guide for a tie wire, a support for the respective end coils of a pair of coil springs on opposite sides of said tie wire, means for feeding a metal ribbon under the tie wire and juxtaposed wire portions of said end coils, means for cutting a clip from the ribbon, means for folding said clip about the tie wire and said juxtaposed wire portions, and means for indenting the clip together with the tie wire and one only of the wire portions enfolded therein.

14. In a machine of the character described, a guide for a tie wire, a support for the respective end coils of a pair of coil springs on opposite sides of said wire, means for feeding a metal ribbon under the tie wire and juxtaposed portions of said end coils, means for cutting a clip from the ribbon, gathering dies adapted to straighten said spring portions and force them against the tie wire, folding dies adapted to fold the clip about the tie wire and the spring portions, and means for interlocking the clip with the tie wire and one of the spring portions, the other spring portion being free to turn in the clip.

15. In a machine of the character described, a

guide for a tie wire, means for supporting the respective end coils of a pair of coil springs on opposite sides of said wire, means for feeding a metal ribbon under the tie wire and juxtaposed portions of said end coils, at least one of said portions being a free extremity of the coil, means for folding a clip about the wire and the juxtaposed portions, means for interlocking the clip with the other of said portions and said tie wire,

but leaving said extremity free to pivot in the clip, and means for bending the tip of the pivotable portion to prevent the latter from being withdrawn from the clip.

16. In a machine of the character described, a guide for a tie wire, means for supporting the respective end coils of a pair of coil springs on opposite sides of said tie wire, means for bending a clip to U-form straddling the tie wires and juxtaposed wire portions of said end coils, a pair of folding dies, successively to fold one leg of the clip over the tie .wire and said wire portions and the other leg of the clip over the first leg.

17. In a machine of the character described, a guide for a tie wire, means for supporting the respective end coils of a pair of coil springs on opposite sides of said tie wire, means for feeding and means for operating the dies a metal ribbon, means for cutting a. clip from the ribbon, means for bending the clip to u form straddling the tie wires and juxtaposed wire portions of said end coils, a pair of folding dies, and means for operating the dies successively to fold one leg of the clip over the tie wire ,and said wire portions and the other leg of the clip over the first leg.

18. In a machine of a guide for a tie wire, means for supporting the respective end coils of a pair of coil springs on opposite sides of said tie wire, means for feeding a metal ribbon under the tie wire and the juxtaposed wire portions of said end coils, means for cutting a clip from the ribbon, means for bending the clip to U form straddling the tie wires and said juxtaposed wire portions, 2. pair of folding dies, means for reciprocating the dies successively to form one leg of the clip over the tie wire and said wire portions and the other leg of the clip over the first leg, and means for indenting a portion of the clip together with a tie wire and one only of the wire portions enfolded therein to lock the parts together but leave the other wire portion free to turn in the clip.

'19. In a machine for clipping a pair of coil springs to an intervening tie wire, means for bending a clip to U form straddling the tie wire and a juxtaposed portion of each of said springs, a folder adapted to fold one leg of the clip upon the tie wire and coil portions, a second folder adapted to fold the other leg down upon the first leg.

20. In a machine for clipping a pair of coil springs to an intervening tie wire, means for bending a clip to U form straddling the tie wire and a juxtaposed portion of each of said coils, a folder adapted to fold one leg upon the tie wire and coil portions, a second folder adapted to fold the other leg upon the first leg, the latter folder being formed with a die surface, and means for pressing the clip against said die surface to offset the clip with the tie wire and one of the coil portions enfolded therein.

21. In a machine for clipping a pair of coil springs to an intervening tie wire, means for bending a clip to.U form straddling the tie wire and 'a juxtaposed portion of each of said springs, a folder adapted to fold one leg of the clip down upon the tie wire and coil portions, a second folder adapted to fold the other leg down upon the first leg, the latter folder being formed with a recess in its under face, a punch alined with said recess on the under side-of the clip, and means for operating the punch to indent the under face of the clip and force the upper face of the clip into the recess.

22. In a machine for clipping a pair of coil springs to an intervening tie'wire, means for bending a clip to U form straddling the tie wire and a juxtaposed portion of each of said, springs, a folder adapted to "fold one leg of the clip down upon the tie wire and coil portions, a second folder adapted to fold the other leg down upon the first leg, the latter folder being formed with a recess in its under face transversely disposed with respectto the tie wire, a punch alined with the character described,

said recess on the underside of the clip, and means for operating the punch to indent the under face of the clip and force the upper face of the clip into the recess, said punch being narrower than the clip whereby part of the clip enfolding one of the coil portions ,will not be indented.

23. In a machine for clipping a pair of coil springs to an intervening tie wire, guides for positioning end coils of said springs on opposite sides of the tie wire, and mechanism for folding a clip about the tie wire and juxtaposed portions of said end coils.

24. In a machine for clipping a pair of coil springs to an intervening tie wire, guides for pcsitioning end coils of said springs on opposite sides of the tie wire, mechanism for folding a clip about the tie wire and juxtaposed portions of said end coils, and means for indenting the clip together with the tie wire and one only of the coil portions.

25. In a machine for clipping a pair of coil springs to an intervening tie wire, a guide for the tie wire, means for supporting the springs on opposite sides of the tie wire with an end coil of each spring in juxtaposition to the tie wire, gathering dies for. straightening said juxtaposed portions and pressing them into engagement with the tie wire, means for folding a clip about the wires pressed into engagement, and guides operating to position the coil springs during the gathering and clipping operations.

26. In a machine for clipping coil springs to a tie wire, a guide for a continuous length of the tie wire, a support for a pair of the springs disposed respectively on opposite sides of the tie wire, means for clipping juxtaposed portions of the springs to the tie wire, and means for advancing the tie wire with the springs clipped thereto through a predetermined distance.

27. In a machine for clipping coil springs to a tie wire, a guide for a continuous length of the tie wire, a support for a pair of the springs disposed respectively on oppposite sides of the tie wire, means for clipping juxtaposed portions of the springs to the tie wire, means for advancing the tie wire with the springs clipped thereto through a predetermined distance, and means for regulating the advance of the tie wire.

28; In a machine for clipping a pair of coil springs to a tie wire intermediate therebetween. aninverted anvil, means for holding the parts to be clipped against the anvil, means for raising a clip against said parts and bending the ends of the clip upward at-opposite sides of said parts, said anvil being transversely recessed, a

folder reciprocable in said recess to fold one of said clip ends down upon said parts, and a second folder reciprocable in said recess to fold the other clip end down upon the first.

29. In a machine for clipping a pair of coil springs to a tie wire intermediate therebetween. an inverted anvil, means for holding the parts to be clipped against the anvil, means for raising the clip against said parts and bending the ends of the clip upward at opposite sides of said parts, said anvil being transversely recessed, a folder reciprocable in said recess to fold one of said clip ends down upon said parts, and a second folder reciprocable in said recess to fold the other clip end down upon the first, the latter folder being formed with a die face, and a punch cooperable with said die face to indent the clip while the latter folder is in folding position.

30. In a machine for clipping a pair of coil springs to a tie wire intermediate therebetween, an inverted anvil, a resilient U-shaped bridge adapted to press the wire parts to be clipped against the anvil, dies movable between the legs of the bridge to straighten the spring parts that are to be clipped and press them against opposite sides of the tie wire, means movable with said'dies to raise a clip against'said parts and bend the ends of the clip upward at opposite sides of said parts, and folding means adapted to operate successively to fold one of said ends down upon said parts and the other end upon the first end.

31. In a machine for clipping coil springs to a continuous tie wire, an apertured table for supporting a pair of coil springs, an inverted anvil mounted on the table, a resilient holder for pressing against the anvil the parts of the springs and tie wire that are to be clipped together, folding mechanism adapted to rise through the table to fold a clip about said parts, means for depressing said resilient holder and said folding mechanism, and means for advancing the clipped springs and tie wire along the table.-

32. In a machine for clipping coil springs to a tie wire, an apertured table for supporting a pair of the coil springs, an inverted anvilmounted on the table, a guide for guiding the-tie wire between the springs and under the anvil, a resilient U'-shaped bridge normally pressing the tie wire and juxtaposed parts of the springs against theanvil, dies vertically reciprocablathrough the table and between the legs of the U-shaped bridge to press a clip against the parts to be clipped and bend the ends of the clip upward on opposite sides of said parts, guides adapted to rise through the table simultaneously with said "dies to position the springs, a pair of folders adapted to rise through the table on opposite sides of the anvil, and means for operating these folders successively to fold the ends of the clip over said parts.

33. In a machine for clipping coil springs to a tie wire, an apertured table for supporting a pair of coil springs, an inverted anvil mounted on the table, means for guiding the tie wire between the springs and under the anvil, a resilient U-shaped bridge normally pressing the tie wire and juxtaposed parts of the springs against the anvil, dies vertically reciprocable through the table and between the legs of the -U-shaped bridge to press a clip against the parts to be clipped and bend the ends of the clip upward on opposite sides of said parts, guides adapted to rise through the table simultaneously with the dies to position the springs, a pair of folders adapted to rise through the table on opposite sides of the anvil, means for operating these folders successively to fold the ends of the clips down upon said parts, means for withdrawing the dies, guides and folders below the level of the table, means for advancing the tie wire together with the coil springs clipped thereto, and means for depressing said bridge as the tie wire and coil springs are being advanced.

DAVID T. OWEN. 

